BeInspIred

We knoW It’s terrIbly un-brItIsh but could We take a moment to shout about our success…Please?This BookleT PresenTs some of Theeveryday facTs and unusual feaTures ThaT have helPed PuT The uk aT The hearT of world Business. Be InspIred

well connecTed

location, regulation and transportation have led more companies to set up european headquarters in the uk than any other country, including apple, china mobile, mTv and Bank of america1. a network of over 70 airports, world-class ports and the eurotunnel railway give easy access to over 675 million european customers2.

sandwichanyone?

we Brits don’t like to fuss. Perhaps that’s why the most popular lunch in the uk is simply to ‘grab a sandwich’ – we eat over 2 billion of them every year. we also avoid fuss when it comes to business – it takes only 13 days to set up a company in the uk, compared to a european average of 15 days3.

ThearchiTecTure for Business

architecture takes the design of structures seriously and Britain has world-leading architects at work such as lord norman foster and lord richard rogers. The uk takes the same approach to the architecture of its business regulation and has created a system, judged by the oecd, to have the least barriers to entrepreneurship in the world4.

selfridges department store, birmingham

i can’T Think of a BeTTer Place Than london To hold an evenT ThaT uniTes The world. nelson mandela on The london 2012 olymPics5

The digiTal revoluTion

Throughout modern history Britain has led from the front. it was at the centre of the industrial revolution in the 1800s, the spread of democracy in the 1900s, and, in this century, it has embraced the digital revolution. The uk is strongly regarded as innovative in both technology and in the creative industries by those customers of British companies and by those who have already established a base in the uk6 – and we have the most extensive broadband market in the g77.the yorkshire dales, northern england

good Times

san francisco sydney

PM AMThe uk’s privileged position between asian and american time zones means there is time to do business anywhere in the world. have your morning coffee with sydney and pour a nightcap with san francisco8.

waTer, waTereverywhere

The uk is the world’s eighth largest island9 but you are never more than 70 miles from the seaside10. it rains, but not as much as you might expect, as average rainfall in the uk is less than in Brazil11. so plenty of opportunity to enjoy our regenerated seaside resorts.

a noBel Prize every 1.2 km²The tiny village of grantchester, just outside cambridge university, is just 4.8 km² in size but thought to have four nobel Prizes among its 580 residents12.Prizes are a bit more widely spread across the rest of the country but the uk still boasts over 80 nobel Prizes in science and technology alone13.

a world in one ciTy

for a remarkable 20 consecutive years london has been voted as europe’s number one city for business by the european cities monitor14. in fact, with over 300 languages spoken every day, the uk’s rich cultural diversity makes it a natural hub for global business.

There are some ideas so wrong ThaT only a very inTelligenT Person could Believe in Them

george orwell

InventIons or dIscoverIes by brItIsh people Include: Penicillin, The world wide weB, The sTeam engine, PuBlic Parks, iPods, The Theory of evoluTion, viagra, The TelePhone, The lawnmower, elecTric ToasTers, radar, worcesTershire sauce, Powered flighT, The ToileT, silicone, crickeT, The Police, vaccinaTions, The comPuTer, The ParalymPic games, marmiTe, railways, road caT’s eyes, The adjusTaBle sPanner, scouTs, The Television and The english language. Oh, and Of cOurse the sandwich! 15

ToP of The class

with four of the world’s top six universities16, we Brits pride ourselves on using education to unlock the potential of every child. from early years through graduation and beyond, the uk government invests billions to ensure the British workforce has the skills that both employer and employee need to succeed.

add up the numbers 17,381 is The ToTal lengTh, in kilomeTres, of The uk coasTline17; seen from The air By 67,700,000 Passengers a year who Pass Through london’s heaThrow airPorT18; some of whom mighT visiT one of BriTain’s 28 world heriTage siTes19; or work as one of 880,000 emPloyees in BriTain’s low carBon secTor20…

…and who, like everyone else in The uk, have access To The nhs and iTs medical research, insPired ThaT 15 of The world’s 75 ToP-selling medicines21 were discovered or develoPed in BriTain; and reassured ThaT 3 ouT of 4 of The world’s leading law firms are Based wiThin These shores22.

driving Business

advanced engineering accounted for about one third of the uk’s total exports in 2008, with major names including rolls royce, jcB, Bae systems, jaguar and airbus23, British mechanics help power spacecrafts, secure borders, equip armies and solve global climate problems. The uk’s ‘motorsport valley’ alone, employs 25,000 engineers and is home to the last two formula 1 world champions24. Actually, the UK is the world’s 6th largest manufacturer measured by output25.rolls royce trent 1000 engine

in ocToBer 2009 The world economic

forum ranked The uk as The world’s

number one financial sysTem and caPiTal

markeT, Benchmarked againsT 55 of The

BiggesT naTional economies.26

The uk was Buoyed By The relaTive sTrengTh

of iTs Business environmenT and financial

services. no suPrise Then, ThaT 75% of all

Fortune 500 comPanies have oPeraTions

in london.27

an englishman’s home is his casTle

The uk has one of the most open and dynamic commercial property markets in europe. Buying property is a straightforward business with no restrictions for overseas buyers. in fact, over 68% of uk homes are owned28. like any property developer we are also planning ahead, and aim to make all new homes ‘zero carbon’ by 2016 and all new non-domestic buildings from 201929.

Windsor castle

uisge BeaTha*

scotland’s whisky exports earn the uk a staggering £97 per second. in 2008 exports of malt whisky reached almost £2.11 billion30.

* The original gaelic name for whisky, meaning ‘water of life’31.

oB-la-di,oB-la-da

The Brits are the biggest consumers of music in the world32 and last year exported over £2 billion in music sales33. in 2008, four of the biggest selling albums in the world were byuk artists, including the top seller– coldplay’s viva la vida34.

Glastonbury Festival

recommended search TermsThis booklet is just a warm up, find ouT more By searching… 007, 3i, ‘a cuP of Tea’, Banksy, BBc, Big Ben, BP,

charles dickens, chocolaTe Powered racing

car, Bank of england, Basil fawlTy, Brick lane,

Buckingham Palace, cheddar cheese,

chicken Tikka massala, co-oPeraTive

movemenT, dicTionary, ealing sTudios, eden

ProjecT, fa cuP, financial Times, fish and chiPs,

george orwell, glasTonBury fesTival, guy

fawkes, hackney carriage, harrods,

scafell Pike, sherlock holmes, snowdonia,

sTella mccarTney, sTiff uPPer liP, sTonehenge,

sunday roasT, TaTe modern, Tesco, The BeaTles,

Barclays Premier league, The riTz, vodafone

grouP, william shakesPeare, ‘where is The

world’s smallesT island?’, wPP grouP, zeBedee

don’T forgeT:

www.ukTi.gov.uk

hesTon BlumenThal, hsBc, isaac newTon,

john lewis ParTnershiP, karl marx’s grave,

‘leasT numBer of Barriers To enTrePreneurshiP

in The world’, london sTock exchange,

ls lowry, magna carTa, manchesTer shiP

canal, manchesTer uniTed, margareT

ThaTcher, mini cooPer, nhs, oasis, Princess

diana, Punch and judy, QineTiQ, ricky gervais,

roBin hood, rolls royce, rouTemasTer Bus,

Why not give one of our uKtiheads of investment a call

europe austriavienna Jane spiegel British embassy T +43 1 716 136 248 E jane.spiegel@fco.gov.uk

Belgium (also covers luxembourg)

Brussels inge haeldermans British embassyT +32 2 287 6235 E inge.haeldermans

@fco.gov.uk

franceParis andrew holt British embassyT +33 1 4451 3169 E andrew.holt@fco.gov.uk

germanydüsseldorfulrich marthaler British consulate-generalT +49 211 9448 207 E ulrich.marthaler @fco.gov.uk

irelandduBlintrevor cayless British embassyT +35 31 205 3751 E trevor.cayless@fco.gov.uk

israeltel avivBarry grossman British embassy T +972 3725 1231 E barry.grossman @fco.gov.uk

italymilanlaurence Bristow-smith British consulate-generalT +39 02 723 00222 E laurence.bristol-smith

@fco.gov.uk

netherlandsthe haguemichiel veldhuizen British embassy T +31 70 427 0211 E michiel.veldhuizen

@fco.gov.uk

PortugallisBonana cristina abreu British embassyT +351 21 392 4065 E ana.abreu@fco.gov.uk

sPainmadridJustine Winterburn British embassy T +34 91 7146330 E justine.winterburn

@fco.gov.uk

sWitzerlandBerneian gavin British embassy T +41 31 359 7751 E ian.gavin@fco.gov.uk

turKeyistanBulsarah mooney British consulate general T +90 (212) 334 6440 E sarah.mooney @fco.gov.uk

estoniatallinnannely lautre British embassyT +37 2667 4788 E annely.lautre@fco.gov.uk

denmarKcoPenhagen hans monbergBritish embassy T +45 35 44 5235 E hans.monberg @fco.gov.uk

finlandhelsinKistephen conlon British embassy T +358 9 2286 5219 E stephen.conlon

@fco.gov.uk

icelandreyKJaviKPetur stefansson British embassy T +35 45 50 51 23 E petur.stefansson

@fco.gov.uk

norWayosloroy s. Kristiansen British embassy T +47 23 13 2795 E roy.kristiansen

@fco.gov.uk

sWedenstocKholmcharlott michaelsen-Blomstrom British embassy T +46 8 671 3067 E charlott.

michaelsen-blomstrom @fco.gov.uk

north amerIcausaneW yorK fiona macleod British consulate-general T +1 212 745 0492 E fiona.macleod

@fco.gsi.gov.uk

Boston Kirsten chambers British consulate-general T +1 617 245 4509 E kirsten.chambers @fco.gov.uk

chicago colette Buscemi British consulate-general T +1 312 970 3820 E colette.buscemi @fco.gov.uk

houston John reale British consulate-general T +1 713 659 6270 E john.reale@fco.gov.uk

miamirebecca mowat British consulate-generalT +1 305 374 1522 E rebecca.mowat @fco.gov.uk

los angelesandrew lewis British consulate-general T +1 310 996 3024 E andrew.lewis

@fco.gov.uk

san francisco Jaclyn mason British consulate-general T 415.617.1360 E jaclyn.mason @fco.gov.uk

Washington dc melinda goforth British embassy T +1 202 588 6500 E melinda.goforth

@fco.gov.uk

mexIcomonterrey Jonathan clare British consulateT + 52 (81) 8356 5359 E jclare@ukconsulate.org mexico city John franck British embassyT + 52 (55) 5242 8549 E john.franck@fco.gov.uk

canadatoronto matt hobbs British consulate-general T +1 416 593 1290 E matt.hobbs@fco.gov.uk

montrealJeremy mackenzie lee British consulate-general T +1 514 866 5863 E jeremy.lee@fco.gov.uk vancouver andrea morgan British consulate-general T +1 604 683 4421 E andrea.morgan

@fco.gov.uk

asIa pacIFIchong Kongtony collingridge British consulate-general T +852 2901 3367 E tony.collingridge

@fco.gov.uk

singaPoreneil Walker British high commission T +65 6424 4323 E neil.walker@fco.gov.uk

PhiliPPinesmanilladerek Page British embassy T +632 8582260 E derek.page@fco.gov.uk

Koreaseoultom matlock British embassy T +822 3210 5613 E tom.matlock@fco.gov.uk

malaysiaKuala lumPurangie yen British high commission T +603 2170 2268 E angie.yen@fco.gov.uk

taiWantaiPeistephen metti British Trade & cultural office T +886 287582066 E stephen.metti

@fco.gov.uk

thailandBangKoKPaul reid British embassy T +662 305 8333 E paul.reid@fco.gov.uk

south africaJohannesBurgcorin Wilson T +27 (0) 11 537 7209 E corin.wilson@fco.gov.uk

australiamelBourne majella hamilton British consulate generalT +61 3 9652 1621 E majella.hamilton

@fco.gov.uk

sydney Paul noon British consulate-general T +61 2 8247 2234 E paul.noon@fco.gov.uk

neW zealandaucKlandPaul Wilkinson British consulate-general T +649 303 2973 E paul.wilkinson

@fco.gov.uk

chinaBeiJing Phil Wyithe British embassy T +86 10 5192 4439 E phil.wyithe@fco.gov.uk

shanghai dave Percival British consulate-general T +86 21 6279 7650 E dave.percival

@fco.gov.uk

guangzhou ambert Prosper British consulate-general T +86 (0) 20 8314 3000 E ambert.prosper

@fco.gov.uk

chongqing ina ai British consulate-general T +86 (0) 23 6369 1500 E ina.ai@fco.gov.uk

indianeW delhi Paul grey British high commission T +91 11 2687 2161 E paul.grey@fco.gov.uk

KolKata mustaq Birader British deputy high commission T +91 33 288 5172/6 E mustaq.birader

@fco.gov.uk

Bangalore gita Krishnankutty British Trade office T +91 80 210 0200 E gita.krishnankutty

@fco.gov.uk

mumBai zenesa vales British deputy high commission T +91 22 66502247 E zenesa.vales@fco.gov.uk

JaPantoKyo Ben chesson British embassy T +81 35211 1275 E ben.chesson@fco.gov.uk

osaKa simon fisher British consulate-general T +81 6 6120 5600 E simon.fisher@fco.gov.uk

sources

1 www.newsroom.uktradeinvest.gov.uk

www.mtvcareers.co.uk

www.bankofamerica.com

2 www.eurostar.com

3 www.ukinvest.gov.uk

4 www.ukinvest.gov.uk

5 www.uksport.gov.uk

6 www.culture.gov.uk

7 www.oecd.org

8 www.worldtimezone.com

9 united nations environment Programme island directory

http://islands.unep.ch

10 www.wildlifetrust.org

11 www.metoffice.gov.uk

12 www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk

13 http://nobelprize.org

14 www.bbc.co.uk

15 all inventions listed are taken from a combination of the following sources:

http://corporate.britannica.com

www.innovationuk.org

http://inventors.about.com

www.icons.org.uk

www.london2012.com

www.bbc.co.uk

16 Times higher education supplement, 2009

17 http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs

18 www.heathrowinformation.co.uk

19 http://whc.unesco.org

20 www.decc.gov.uk

21 www.berr.gov.uk

22 www.thinklondon.com

23 www.ukinvest.gov.uk

24 www.formula1.com

25 uncTad, 2008. handbook of statistics

26 www.weforum.org

27 www.ukti.gov.uk

28 www.lloydsbankinggroup.com

29 www.communities.gov.uk

30 www.scotch-whisky.org.uk

31 www.uisge.com

32 www.bpi.co.uk

33 www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk

34 www.bpi.co.uk

uk Trade & investment is the government organisation that helps uk based companies succeed in international markets. we assist overseas companies to bring high quality investment to the uk’s dynamic economy.

whereas every effort has been made to ensure that the information given in this document is accurate, neither uk Trade & investment nor its parent departments (the department for Business, innovation and skills, and the foreign and commonwealth office) accept liability for any errors, omissions or misleading statements, and no warranty is given or responsibility accepted as to the standing of any individual, firm, company or other organisation mentioned.

Published february 2010 by uk Trade & investment© crown copyright.urn 10/639